Sudan presents reconstruction opportunities

São Paulo – The Embassy of Sudan in Brazil brought Brazilian and Sudanese businesspeople together to present investment opportunities in the country, which is seeking to accelerate its reconstruction as the civil conflict that has persisted since 2023 eases.

The meeting was held on Tuesday (25) in São Paulo during the Brazil & Arab Countries Economic Forum, organized by the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) to discuss relations between Brazil and Arab League countries, of which Sudan is a member state.

At the event, Sudanese Ambassador to Brazil Ahmed Swar highlighted a gradual reduction in hostilities in Sudan. According to him, most of the country, including the capital Khartoum, is now free of conflict, creating strong demand for all kinds of products and services that are currently unavailable locally.

“We have a great need for crop varieties to revive agriculture, food production technologies, machinery, construction materials and all kinds of professionals,” Swar told the 19 Brazilian and Sudanese entrepreneurs and industry representatives gathered for the meeting, including members of the African country’s delegation and guests of the ABCC.

Among the cooperation opportunities discussed at the meeting, one highlight was the possibility of Brazilian investors participating in gold mining in Sudan. According to data shared at the meeting, the country’s gold production remains active. In 2024, Sudan produced around 464 tonnes of the metal, increasing output by 70 tonnes the following year.

“The [gold] sector is quite active, as is the mining of other minerals, including copper, manganese and cobalt. I believe we can establish a trade channel with Brazil for Sudanese gold and other minerals, which could be the first step toward technology and investment exchanges between our countries,” Mohammed Alkhateeb of the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company told ANBA.

According to Alkhateeb, around 111 companies currently operate in Sudan’s gold mining sector. Another 100 companies are preparing to begin production. A further 165 companies are directly involved in trade, 41 of them foreign.

“There are opportunities for Brazilian companies to get involved as well,” he said.

Later, on the forum stage, he publicly invited Brazilian mining company Vale to participate.

In addition to gold mining, the meeting addressed infrastructure opportunities. These range from rebuilding roads and developing new ports on the Red Sea to relieve congestion at existing facilities, to storage infrastructure and renewing the truck fleet, preferably with models made in Brazil, which are considered better suited to the country’s conditions than European vehicles.

Once infrastructure is rebuilt, the Sudanese Embassy expects Sudan to become a platform for Brazilian companies to produce food for Middle Eastern and African markets. The embassy also wants Brazilian farmers who operated there successfully before 2023 to return and support the country’s industrialization efforts.

“Sudan needs everything from needles to airplanes today. The country has plenty of gold, but little else. Sudan needs Brazil to support it in construction, infrastructure and almost everything else. There is room for any company in the country today,” said Abdelaleim Hamad, owner of Brazil-based Zarif Import and Export, in excellent Portuguese.

Sudanese national based in São Paulo, Abdelaleim Hamad said the Sudanese government is organizing a trade mission for Brazilian businesspeople in the coming months, with support from business associations. He repeatedly invited those present to join the mission and see the country’s progress firsthand.

At the meeting, Brazilian businessman Rafael Ribeiro of trading company Interway expressed interest in trading Sudanese gum arabic, a product with many applications in the food industry of which Sudan is the world’s largest producer.

“We have contacts with many Brazilian candy manufacturers that would be interested in the product. I am putting on the table the possibility of exploring mutually beneficial cooperation,” he told his Sudanese counterparts.

In 2025, Brazil-Sudan trade totaled just over USD 1.5 million. In 2022, before the conflict, trade between the countries exceeded USD 83 million. The Sudanese Embassy’s goal is at least to return to that level in the short term.

The forum, organized by the ABCC, is sponsored by Fambras Halal, International Halal Academy, Vale, DP World, Cdial Halal, First Abu Dhabi Bank, MBRF Global Foods Company, Qatar Airways and MZAH Group Investment. Institutional supporters include the Arab League, the Union of Arab Chambers and the Federation of Industries of the State of Bahia. Cacilda Aragão Tours is a partner.

Report by Daniel Medeiros, in collaboration with ANBA

Translated by Guilherme Miranda

Deividi Correa de Souza/Arab-Brazilian Chamber

Deividi Correa de Souza/Arab-Brazilian Chamber